For high school students sports are often at the center of all social functions and rightly so.

The field of competition offers a range of emotion with each pass, each shot and each point.

The atmosphere is lively and the pep band is always there helping to create a vivid experience for fans.

The pep band is often overlooked, but can add a certain flavor that isn’t seen in other levels. The band plays a big role in college athletics and gives each game a certain flare.

The pep band can break the monotony of another game, add importance to a rivalry and create an incredible experience for fans.

This group of individuals is often overlooked, but their presence hasn’t been lost on me. Since the winter sports season has started I have craved more of the pep band.

When I think of a big game at the high school or college level the band is always in full swing before and during the game. The band helps create a home field advantage and can be vocal in charging up a team or crowd.

There’s something about listening to live music during warm-ups that creates excitement. The tunes can be old and heard a million times before, but that sound designates importance.

Sometimes when I hear the band playing before a game, it gets me pumped up and ready to come ripping through that paper sign.

It would be neat to see the band at more games, playing at haltime and during breaks in the game.

The band can get the crowd stirred up and who doesn’t like to play in front of a large group of rabid fans.

One of the best atmospheres to watch a game of any sorts is a Gophers hockey game because of the hoopla that goes on before and during a game. The band walks the concourse before the game playing the Minnesota Rouser and other tunes and then leads cheers during the game with different songs.

The band almost conducts the crowd at times. When the Gophers pep band goes into “Rock & Roll Pt. 2” by Gary Glitter the crowd hums along well after the band stops playing.

It’s really cool when the band covers other songs like “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath or “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. While those have become staples at some colleges, the ultimate is when a pep band covers a recent tune. One of the coolest one was a few years ago when bands started doing “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes.

Of course the logistics of it all are intricate and learning those songs quickly presents a problem, but it is really, really awesome when pep bands decide to be adventurous.

When the horns get going and the drums all together the atmosphere is electric.